The present invention generally relates to devices and processes for removing particulate soil from fabric articles, especially articles of clothing, linen and drapery.
There are two types of cleaning systems that are available to consumers today, namely, conventional laundry or dry cleaning. Frequently, consumers are dealing with the problem of washing garments that are heavily contaminated with large, dry particulates such as cat fur, hair, dust, clay, dried mud, etc. By putting these garments into the washer xe2x80x9cas isxe2x80x9d and submitting them to regular washing process, these soils become even more difficult to remove. While removal of these particulates can be obtained by pre-treating each soiled area this process labor intensive time consuming and the ever present fear of insufficiently treating the soil or missing it altogether remains.
Neither of these systems is convenient for the consumer to use. For example, neither system provides a way to remove cat hair from an otherwise clean article. Taking the article to the dry cleaner would not be cost efficient for a single item, which in any event, may not be ready in time for the consumers needs. Throwing the article into the washer at home would mean several hours before the hair was removed and the article dried in the dryer. The final alternative of the consumer removing each hair by hand is seemingly as efficient a use of the consumer""s time as the other two.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a process and apparatus for removing particulate soil from fabric articles, in a fashion that is readily accessible to the consumer and uses the minimum time necessary.
It has now surprisingly been found that there does exist an apparatus and process for removing particulate soil from discrete fabric articles that is readily accessible to the consumer and uses the minimum time necessary. Furthermore, the apparatus and process suffer none of the disadvantages of the conventional laundry or dry cleaning systems with respect to particulate soil.
Large particulates such as cat fur, human hair, clay etc. can be successfully removed using gas flow prior to a washing process. This may be viewed as a first step in the washing process, completely free of water or other liquids. By implementing this step it decreases the xe2x80x9cdemandxe2x80x9d on chemicals in the wash by removing these soils prior to wetting. Alternatively, this process may be used as a stand alone process with no further cleaning of the treated garment. This would allow for cleaning or refreshing of a garment that has only been soiled with, for example, pet hair.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a method for removing particulate soil from discrete fabric articles is provided. The method comprises at least the steps of:
(a) placing substantially dry fabric articles in a walled vessel;
(b) adding a gas to the vessel wherein the gas is added to the vessel at a rate of from about 10 l/s to about 70 l/s and the gas enters the vessel with a velocity of from about 1 m/s to about 155 m/s;
(c) concurrently with (b), mechanically agitating the fabric while the gas impinges on soiled areas of the fabric; and
(d) concurrently with (b) and (c) removing the gas from the vessel at a rate sufficient to prevent the removed soil from re-depositing upon the fabric;
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for removing particulate soil from discrete fabric articles by mechanically agitating the fabric while gas impinges on soiled areas of the fabric is provided. The apparatus comprises a rotary drum driven by an electric motor under the control of a control means, at least one gas inlet, wherein the gas inlet has a muzzle diameter sufficient to provide gas to the apparatus at a rate of from about 10 l/s to about 70 l/s and a muzzle velocity of from about 1 m/s to about 155 m/s and at least one gas outlet, wherein the gas outlet is of sufficient diameter to prevent the removed soil from re-depositing upon the fabric.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a method for removing particulate soil from discrete fabric articles is provided. The method comprises at least the steps of:
(a) placing substantially dry fabric articles in a walled vessel;
(b) adding a gas to the vessel through at least one first gas inlet and a second gas inlet wherein the gas enters the vessel through the at least one first gas inlet with a velocity of from about 10 l/s to about 70 l/s the said gas is added to the vessel through the at least one first gas inlet and the second gas inlet is at a combined rate of from about 1 m/s to about 155 m/s;
(c) concurrently with (b), mechanically agitating the fabric while the gas impinges on soiled areas of the fabric; and
(d) concurrently with (b) and (c) removing the gas from the vessel at a rate sufficient to prevent the removed soil from re-depositing upon the fabric;
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for removing particulate soil from discrete fabric articles by mechanically agitating the fabric while gas impinges on soiled areas of the fabric is provided. The apparatus comprises a rotary drum driven by an electric motor under the control of a control means, at least one first gas inlet, wherein the at least one first gas inlet has a muzzle diameter sufficient to provide gas to the apparatus at a muzzle velocity of from about 1 m/s to about 155 m/s a second gas inlet, wherein the at least one first gas inlet and the second gas inlet provide gas to the apparatus at a rate of from about 10 l/s to about 70 l/s and at least one gas outlet, wherein the gas outlet is of sufficient diameter to prevent the removed soil from re-depositing upon the fabric.
These and other aspects, features and advantages will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed description and the appended claims. All percentages, ratios and proportions herein are by weight, unless otherwise specified. All temperatures are in degrees Celsius (xc2x0 C.) unless otherwise specified. All measurements are in SI units unless otherwise specified. All documents cited are in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference.